http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/1208/1473485.html


"Charles Oakley never seems at a loss for words.


Well, the Wizards forward was on a roll before Washington's 100-97 win over Oakley's former team, the Knicks.

New York has struggled this season with a 5-13 start, making them the fourth-worst team in the Eastern Conference. A little different than Oakley's nine season with the club when he served as Patrick Ewing's enforcer.

"It ain't the coach (Don Chaney); it's the players," Oakley told Newsday on Saturday. "They're softer. They don't want to compete, don't want to suck it up. You've got to buy into what the coach wants to do."

When talking about the Knicks' $91-million payroll, Oakley added: "They're a max-out team. They've got the top salaries in the league. There's no excuses. It's bad management and bad deals. It's hard to recoup in this league. You've got to have trade bait."

"They've got some garbage. Point-blank," Oakley told the newspaper. "They need to take four or five players out with the trash and dump them. You can't have a bunch of guys who are 6-5 and 6-6. I know the fans in New York. You can't fake out New Yorkers ... that you're going to get the job done. You've got to get to the playoffs, first round, second round."

The Wizards next face the Knicks on Jan. 11 at Madison Square Garden in New York. "


I completely agree with him.

Oak was dead on. This team would be better off if you just kept Dice, Houston, Spree and Thomas...and dump the rest. Frankie stays, he's a rookie, and Nailon stays cause he's cheap. The rest can go for second round picks for all I care. All they do is kill keep us from getting better players cause of their pathetic salaries...

oakley, always on point

Oakley also says that the Knicks should go after Olowokandi. But he has to look at his pathetic teams too not just the Knicks. Wizards are not that much better than the Knicks. I always thought he was a loud mouth but sometimes he says the right things. Its always easy to kick a team when they are down and the Knicks right now are down. I think KG said it the best the Knicks will be back.